Photo Gallery

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's basketball team outscored the East Stroudsburg University Warriors 58-47 in the final three quarters to secure a 72-64 win in its final regular season home game, which doubled as Senior Night at Keystone Arena.
 
The win for the Maroon and Gold locks in a first-round home game in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Playoffs, which will begin on Monday, Feb. 26. The Golden Bears have especially enjoyed their time in 'The Den' this season, securing a 12-3 regular-season record at home, their most home wins in the last 10 years.
 
For the second consecutive game, KU put together a true team effort, getting scoring contributions from all eight Golden Bears who appeared in the game. Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) continues to play effectively on the offensive end in the latter stages of the season, totaling a team-high 15 points while playing 36-of-40 minutes. Taylor Thames (Colmar, Pa./North Penn) and Alexis Smith (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) also scored in double-digits, tallying 13 and 12 points, respectively. Smith started out slow, but got hot when her team needed it most, striping two triples during a stretch of eight straight points for the freshman in the fourth quarter which put the Maroon and Gold ahead 60-50.
 
Despite a hot shooting night from ESU in which it posted a 51.1 field goal percentage and shot 50 percent from deep, Kutztown weathered the storm valuing each of its possessions, committing a season-low seven turnovers. The Golden Bears attacked the offensive glass with vigor, out-rebounding East Stroudsburg 11-6, many of which came on hustle plays where they were able to retain the ball underneath after a miss.
 
With KU clinging to a 50-48 advantage to begin the fourth quarter, a 12-2 run capped by a Thames lay-in ballooned its lead to 62-50 with 5:39 remaining. The Maroon and Gold then put the clamps down defensively, allowing just two points in 4:36, spanning from 8:08 left in the game to the 3:32 mark. A collective effort both offensively and defensively proved to be the difference in this contest, as, despite a late Warrior push, the Maroon and Gold held off ESU, coming away with the eight-point win. 
 
The first half was a defensive struggle for both sides as neither could gain much footing the opening 20 minutes. ESU led 17-13 after one thanks to eight points in the first stanza from outstanding senior guard Imani Brown. However, KU overtook the Warriors in the second quarter, outscoring East Stroudsburg 15-8 in the final ten minutes before halftime. Thames captained the comeback for Kutztown in quarter number two, scoring nine of her team's 15 points to put it ahead, 28-25, at the half.
 
Seniors Kalee Fuegel (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) and Keifonna Ferguson (Norristown, Pa./Norristown Area), whom were both honored pre-game, scored four and eight points, respectively. Fuegel added to her well-rounded stat line with two rebounds, six assists and three steals, playing a season-high 32 minutes. Ferguson ripped down three boards and is now just five away from securing career rebound number 500.
 
Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) and Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) scored eight a piece for KU with Zoe Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) rounding out the scoring, knocking down 3-of-4 attempts from the charity-stripe for her three points.
 
The Golden Bears (16-11, 11-10 PSAC) have one regular season game remaining this season, traveling to Lock Haven in an effort to notch their 17th win of the year, which would be the program's most since 2009-10.